This invention relates to a low insertion force connector (LIF connector) in which male and female multi-pole connectors each having a number of metal terminals can be fitted together with a low insertion force.
JP2004-103557 and JP2006-185772 disclose related LIF connectors. The LIF connector 1 disclosed in JP2004-103557 and shown in FIG. 9 is of the type adapted to be fixed on a panel of a vehicle body (not shown), and this LIF connector 1 includes a connector holder 2 adapted to be mounted on the vehicle body panel, a first connector 3 for being fixed to the connector holder 2, and a second connector 4 for being fitted to the first connector 3 fixed to the connector holder 2, and a lever 5 which is pivotally mounted on the second connector 4 and can be pivotally moved to fit the second connector 4 to the first connector 3.
The LIF connector 11 disclosed in JP2006-185772 and shown in FIG. 10 is of the type which does not need to be mounted on a vehicle body panel (that is, does not need to be provided with a connector holder). This LIF connector 11 includes a first connector 12, and a lever 13 which is pivotally mounted on the first connector 12 and can be pivotally moved to draw a second connector (not shown) to fit this second connector to the first connector 12, The LIF connector 11 is so formed that the lever 13 can be automatically mounted on the first connector 12, The structure which enables the automatic mounting will be described below.
Opening prevention portions 16 for receiving portions of arm portions 15 of the lever 13 are formed at a tubular fitting portion 14 of the first connector 12, A slide hole 18 for fitting on a pivot shaft 17 of the first connector 12 is formed in each arm portion 15, The lever 13 can be moved relative to the first connector 12 such that the pivot shaft 17 is introduced into an introduction hole 19, formed at one end of the slide hole 18, at the time of mounting the lever 13 on the first connector 12, so that the lever 13 is located in a provisionally-mounted position (see FIG. 10B). Thereafter, the lever 13 is pushed in a direction of extension of the slide hole 18, and the pivot shaft 17 reaches a pivot hole 20 formed at the other end of the slide hole 18, so that the lever 13 is located in a completely-mounted position (see FIG. 10C).
The lever 13 is so constructed that the two arm portions 15 can be deformed to be opened (or moved away from each other) at the time when the slide holes 18 fit on the respective pivot shafts 17 and that the arm portions 15 will not be deformed to be opened at the time when the arm portions 15 enter arm receiving spaces of the opening prevention portions 16, With this construction, the automatic mounting of the lever 13 can be achieved before the lever 13 is brought into the provisionally-mounted position although the LIF connector 11 has the opening prevention portions 16.
The LIF connector 1 disclosed in JP2004-103557 is formed by the four members, that is, the connector holder 2, the first connector 3, the second connector 4 and the lever 5, Therefore, this LIF connector has a problem that the number of the component parts is relatively large. Because of the increased number of the component parts, there is encountered another problem that much time and labor are required for assembling the LIF connector and for mounting this LIF connector on the vehicle body panel (not shown).
On the other hand, in the LIF connector 11 disclosed in JP2006-185772, although the automatic mounting of the lever 13 can be effected, each pivot shaft 17 slides in and along the slide hole 18, and therefore the following problem is encountered. Namely, because of the existence of slide portions of the slide hole 18, that portion of the pivot hole portion 20 for supporting the pivot shaft 17 can not be sufficiently secured, and therefore there is a fear that the operation (that is, the pivotal movement) of the lever 13 may be adversely affected.
In the case where the automatic mounting of the lever 13 is not achieved, the lever 13 need to be deformed to be opened by a manual operation. In this case, there is encountered a problem that the efficiency of the assembling operation is lowered.
This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the invention is to provide a vehicle body panel fixing-purpose LIF connector, in which the number of component parts is reduced, and the efficiency of an assembling operation is enhanced, and further an automatic mounting operation can be effected, and a good operability is obtained.